Questions tagged [books]
Questions concerning chess literature.
124
questions
11
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3answers
665 views
Books on opening theory organized around tactical/strategic motives, not opening lines
"Understand your openings, not just memorize lines" is a common advice given to a club level player. However, most opening books are still organized around lines, amended with some explanations that ...
2
votes
3answers
102 views
Books for beginners who have hard time understanding positions of pieces?
I'm new here and I found a book called Logical Chess by Chernev. Is this a great book to start if you are a beginner and you only know how to move pieces but not how to develop them? I'm having a hard ...
5
votes
6answers
275 views
What was the first “Opening Repertoire” book?
As title above states, what was/were the first "Opening Repertoire" book/s? I remember that opening books of the 1970s and early 1980s weren't actually repertoires for White or Black, but treatises on ...
3
votes
1answer
65 views
Intermediate Chess Books
Does anyone have any suggestions for intermediate chess books? Tactics or endgames would be the topic that I'd mainly like to focus on!
6
votes
2answers
171 views
Who has the biggest chess library?
I once had 1800 chess books before I sold off about 600 of the least-good ones and doubles (I used to buy entire collections from people, so you get some stuff you do not want).
I know an IM friend ...
4
votes
1answer
86 views
How does the move order 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 “rule out Philidor's Defence 2…d6”?
So I was reading "An Opening Repertoire for the Positional Player", by Gufeld and Kalinich, and found the title's assertion. And I just can't think why after "1. e4 e5 2. Nc3", d6 would be bad for ...
20
votes
3answers
3k views
Did Bobby Fischer actually write “Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess”?
Did Bobby Fischer actually write his bestseller primer “Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess” (1966, 978-0553130539), or was it written by a ghost writer?
I often ask myself this question because it seems ...
4
votes
2answers
201 views
Does anyone have a version of the 50x50 article by Nikita Plaksin?
In 1979, Nikita M. Plaksin published a reportedly fascinating article containing 50 problems all related to the 50 moves rule. Unfortunately I can't find it anywhere, the only links that I could find ...
4
votes
1answer
104 views
Does anyone know if there is an English translation of this book?
It is a book written by Boris Zlotnik. I found some books from him in search, but I'm not sure whether the same book. Some titles with chess course vol.1, vol2., etc..
2
votes
1answer
137 views
Analysis of chess by Philidor in PGN
Where can I find games annotated by Philidor in his book in a PGN file?
0
votes
1answer
108 views
How would I train like Bobby Fischer did? [closed]
As the title suggests, I want to know how to train like Bobby Fischer did, along with what books he read during his chess training. Remember, keyword is TRAIN. I don’t want to be like him, as that is ...
4
votes
3answers
248 views
Chess strategy versus positional chess
If one master writes a book on chess strategy (example here) and another writes a book on positional chess (example here), are they writing more or less on the same subject?
Do other major chess ...
0
votes
1answer
174 views
Chess software for writing books
I am currently converting some of my chess books into electronic format by manually copying the pgn and making notes. I have found lichess study and chessable courses to be useful in doing this. ...
0
votes
1answer
142 views
Is there a GUI software that exports chess diagrams for chess authors?
Is there a program either Linux or a Windows program that can create a chess position and save it as an image. That image can then be used by the chess author in a book that is being written.
1
vote
2answers
98 views
Ambiguity in Text
John Nunn mentions the following in Understanding Chess: Move by Move (2002):
Pawn weaknesses vary in severity according to two factors: 1) whether there is any possibility of liquidating the ...
2
votes
3answers
352 views
How to improve my game
I am doing tactics 30 minutes a day, practicing end games for about 90 minutes and analyzing 1 GM annotated game a day.
I can understand the logic behind why the move is played, but I can't apply it ...
6
votes
1answer
176 views
Autobiography by Sonja Graf
In the book "Chess Bitch" by Jennifer Shahade I have read that Sonja Graf has written an autobiography in Spanish. Can anyone help me locate the book? It could be in Spanish, German, English or ...
2
votes
3answers
194 views
Sales rankings for chess books?
Are there any estimates sales rankings for chess books? How much do a bestselling chess book generally sell?
3
votes
5answers
340 views
Book recommendations on Pawn Endgame for intermediate and advanced level players?
I just started preparing Endgame using Dvoretsky Endgame Manual. I am wondering if there are more books online about Pawn Endgames that I can use side by side either as an additional study material or ...
6
votes
3answers
187 views
How should I read chess books that show games or parts of games?
When reading books like Sorcerer's Apprentice or Life & Games of Mikhail Tal, often a position is shown followed by a list of moves, then another key position, then more moves, and another ...
1
vote
2answers
1k views
What are weak squares in chess; how can they help to mate another player? [closed]
I read this concept in a book but I didn't understand much about the concept. Can anybody explain this concept with an example?
2
votes
2answers
144 views
What are some chess books on openings which include computer analysis?
I once had a book on the sharp Wilkes-Barre variation of the Two Knights Defense written in the 1970s in which there were a few moves which were said to be clearly winning for one side in which a ...
6
votes
1answer
245 views
Looking for a specific chess book
My father taught me chess at a young age. I am still not very good, though. Now, we have started again playing against one another and analyze positions. He remembered a book, which he possessed but ...
1
vote
1answer
159 views
Chessersizes Errata
A quick search didn't turn up anything, but I have been wondering if anyone has ever published an errata sheet or some other update to Pandolfini's Chessersizes books, listing the corrections. In ...
1
vote
2answers
388 views
What is the best way to sell old chess books?
I listed some books on eBay but had little interest (few pageviews/few bids etc.) meaning that I would make an untenable loss on them (I'm not selling them for profit, but I want a reasonable price ...
11
votes
4answers
2k views
Failing to understand a pin from a tactics book
I've began going through, over the board, 1001 Winning Chess Sacrifices and Combinations - 21st century edition. This book is a great supplement to my last question on studying tactics, and I feel ...
5
votes
5answers
687 views
Getting the most out of chess books
I have a bunch of chess books that have been given to me on my favorite openings. I usually try to do a few games from them after I play my daily games and go over how I could improve with a chess ...
3
votes
2answers
152 views
Book recommendation on zugzwang
I am looking for a book recommendation on endgames. More specifically, I want to know how to avoid zugzwang, and what to do in case it arises.
If you know of any book which has in-depth case study on ...
7
votes
6answers
1k views
Why are opening books so popular?
As title above, why are opening books so popular? I am sure that most players know that middlegame and endgame books are ultimately much more important for improving one's chess strength. That is not ...
2
votes
1answer
296 views
Chess book reviews
What are some of the useful chess book review websites or YouTube channels out there? Or even people with chess blogs or Youtube channels which occasionally post book reviews. Thanks!
1
vote
2answers
387 views
Looking for a repertoire book on the Spanish with 5.d3 (4.d3 vs the Berlin)?
Does anyone know of a good (or not so) repertoire book on the Spanish with 5.d3 vs the main line and 4.d3 vs the Berlin? Is there such a thing on the market? I've already got Andrew Martin's DVD The ...
3
votes
2answers
660 views
Resources on the Ruy Lopez for White - why so few?
The Ruy Lopez is one of the most popular chess openings for both sides after 1.e4, and despite this I feel like there are few good detailed resources for players of the white side wishing to play the ...
3
votes
3answers
495 views
Max Lange Attack - Materials to Study
I am looking for quality materials such as books, magazines and video series to help me to study Max Lange Attack. I'll be grateful if you recommend one and share the link.
Thanks.
9
votes
3answers
1k views
Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual vs Fundamental Chess Endings
I want to know what the differences are between "Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual" and "Fundamental Chess Endings".
I want to know also if these books are compatible, I mean, if I buy for example "...
2
votes
2answers
496 views
Why is Alex Dunne's book 'How to Be a Class A Player' so valuable?
I have been looking for this book for quite some time. I have his book, "How to Become a Candidate Master", but have had trouble finding this one at a reasonable price. Currently on Amazon, used ...
2
votes
4answers
829 views
Learning chess over the board vs using software
I have some good quality chess books and of course use the chess board to follow all chess game examples and variations provided. However I noticed that it is quite a tiring activity as it takes time ...
1
vote
2answers
173 views
What is covered in “Grunfeld Defense: Russian Variations” (1988) by Eric Schiller?
I'm interested in the Russian system of the grunfeld-defense:
[FEN ""]
[StartPly "10"]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d54. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3
I'd like to buy a book on this line alone (I'm not interested in ...
-1
votes
1answer
120 views
Which Book should I choose
After watching a good deal of annotated games of Mikhail Tal on YouTube, I've finally decided to go in deeper by the means of 3 of his most famous books
Life and Games of Mikhail Tal
Study Chess with ...
4
votes
5answers
426 views
What are the mistakes committed by players who take many years to become an expert?
I am a beginner and am targeting to become an expert. I see many people who barely takes 4 years to become an expert and many people who take 10 years to become an expert. I don't want to repeat the ...
4
votes
2answers
111 views
Which is MCO book by Walter
My mom is going to chess classes for some years now. Am absolutely noob. She has been asked to buy a book: "Modern Chess Openings" by Walter Korn. While googling, I came to know that the author of ...
1
vote
1answer
202 views
How are chess variations meant to be read
This is a sample position from a book (no further details are given to avoid copyright issues).
I can read the first line and follow it in my mind, departing from the figure. But the continuation in ...
6
votes
2answers
172 views
Is there a copy of Troitsky's analysis of KNN vs. KP online anywhere?
This is almost certainly public domain material by now (I believe it originates in a 1906 article), but I'm happy to buy it with or without Collection of Chess Studies if I can get it as a digital ...
4
votes
1answer
317 views
XiangQi (Chinese chess) textbook or video tutorial
I know how the pieces move and understand basics, like forks and pins. Now I am looking for additional tutorials in English. So far, I've only found this book: "Introduction to Chinese Chess (XiangQi) ...
5
votes
8answers
2k views
A first book for a chess beginner
I am thinking about getting my first chess book. After making a bit of research, people recommend to not worry about opening and endings and start with a primer on general strategy. That description ...
7
votes
2answers
2k views
Great Chess match resources (PGN) suggestions anyone?
Using Arena with a number of Chess engines, I love configuring Arena to use its 'book' feature. There are books of openings, books of famous games, books of particular players, surprise wins, etc.
...
5
votes
2answers
481 views
How to improve my early endgame / late middlegame?
When I search for books on the middlegame versus the endgame, I usually find discussions about positions that have almost nothing to do with each other: the former being rich with strategies with ...
5
votes
2answers
1k views
Can you recommend a variation in the English opening for a technical player?
I'm looking to study the English opening. To cut down my homework, I would like to focus on one or two variations.
Why am I interested in the English opening, I hear you cry? Mostly because I want to ...
3
votes
5answers
1k views
Books for chess traps
I have seen (and studied) some books on opening theory. They basically deal with chess openings and various lines in which those openings can transform into. But I haven't found a book which ...
9
votes
3answers
858 views
Have there really been more books published on chess than any other sport?
In the history of sport — and publishing — it’s not even close: one sport has had more books (and for that matter, magazines, tracts, pamphlets and handbills) published about it far more than any ...
4
votes
1answer
140 views
What is the purpose of editorial comments in Informants?
I was browsing an old Informant today and came across an editorial comment, marked with RR. I've seen several of them at the beginning of a game that reference another game, involving a completely ...
